What Happened to August?

Katja has been on the road or in the skies every week this past month, which a few mornings caused her to ask herself, “where am I today?” She has, however, at least been certain that whatever city she happened to be waking up in would have a good museum (it’s important to have priorities when traveling). Sadly none of this travel required Katja to use her passport, as she does love to escape to foreign lands, but she can’t complain as the cities she went to - Boston (a few times), Washington, DC, and LA – are all lovely places to visit. And while her on the go schedule has left her with that I have no idea where the month has gone feeling, she knows it only means that she’s been up to lots of good things. She is, after all, the kind of girl who believes in taking the time to smell the roses (as well as this beautiful flower she stumbled upon in a lovely garden in Boston).

Katja had very much missed seeing her friends in Boston, as she hadn’t been there since May. She thus had a very packed social schedule during her trips to the city, catching up with friends over coffee, dinner, and a cocktail making lesson at Study Restaurant. The cocktail being discussed that particular evening was a classic, the gin martini (stirred, not shaken - apparently James Bond does not know what he's talking about). She should have been responsible and ended the evening after her rather large concoction, but what can she say, she doesn't always chose the most responsible option, so instead the evening ended a few unnecessary cocktails later. And not that she needs an excuse, but she does remember reading something wise recently about one never looking back and remembering the nights one got a lot of sleep...

Luckily Katja has lots of energy, so despite being in less than top form the following day was able to make it to the Museum of Fine Arts to see Tropical Mythologies, an exhibition of the works of Gustavo Fuenmayor.

His work, which addresses Latin America’s colonial past and its legacy, includes the most beautiful charcoals. The exhibition ends soon, so if you’re in Boston go see it (or look for his work elsewhere)! Katja also stopped by the Boston Ballet to see various people. She can't wait for the new season to start, and has already planned various trips in the next few months for Boston Ballet related activities.

The trip to DC was quick and there wasn’t quite as much fun to be had, but Katja was able to stop by the National Gallery of Art, which she thinks is one of the most beautiful galleries out there, both for its great collection and for the gallery itself (just look at the lovely fountain).

As she's on the topic of museums Katja figures she'd mention the China Through the Looking Glass exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which she was able to catch one of the August days that she actually was in New York. She loved the show, but then again it's only natural that all of the beautiful clothing would appeal to her fashionista self. The exhibition ends in just over a week, and it's definitely worth fighting the crowds to go see it.

While in New York, besides getting to that thing called work, she naturally got in as many ballet classes as possible at what seems to have become her second home, Ballet Academy East.

She also spent time with friends and made it to a few shows of the Joyce Theater's Ballet Festival; she particularly liked the performance by Amy Seiwert’s Imagery. Katja also stopped by the post-performance receptions, as she does love some bubbly (and cheese straws) with her ballet.

Katja was very happy to get to go back to LA so soon after her last trip, just as she was very happy that she was upgraded on the flight over. She does fancy herself a first class kind of girl, and it certainly made the trip much comfier (despite the rather grumpy looking man next to her). She even got a decent meal that included a salad with proper greens, as well as raspberry sorbet for dessert. But the pre-meal warm nuts and the later in the flight warm cookie were definitely the highlights.

This time Katja stayed in downtown LA, so she was able to try many of the yummy restaurants near her hotel, including Bäco Mercat (delicious ricotta fritters and lace battered squash blossoms), Faith and Flower (a delicious summer squash salad and fresh burrata pizza, not to mention the cocktails), Bier Beisel Imbiss (an absolutely divine poppy seed pastry…she does love her poppy seed), and Guisados (tasty tacos). Because she hadn't stayed downtown for a while she really enjoyed wandering around the streets,

checking out the street art and stopping by local landmarks such as the Grand Central Market.

Of course it wouldn't be a proper trip if there wasn't at least one museum outing (or performance), so she spent a very lovely afternoon at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She checked out the 50 for 50 exhibition, and wandered through the permanent collection, which she hadn't done for some time. She was particularly fond of a little 14th century work by Paolo Veneziano that she stumbled upon.

Like all her trips to LA (well her trips in general), it went by much too quickly. But this time Katja was actually looking forward to a rare travel free week filled with lots of ballet classes, so she didn't feel too too sad when she had to say goodbye to LA and make her way to the airport. And besides, as the jet setting penguin that she is, she knows she'll be back before she knows it.

Palm Trees and Pools

Katja’s July travels didn’t end with her trip to Boca; she was in New York just briefly before it was time to head to the airport yet again. This time, however, she decided that a change of scenery was in order, so took a flight out of JFK instead of Newark. The experience reminded her why she generally avoids JFK; that said the Pre✓ line was infinitely speedier, so perhaps she should focus on the positive. It's not like there's really much glamour in travel these days anyway, so it's the small things that count. And, ultimately, dealing with the lack of comfort and masses of clueless travelers is worth it in order to visit places both new and old. Plus, flying is always a good time to do the things she likes to avoid doing, like sewing the ribbons and elastic on her pointe shoes.

This time Katja's destination was Los Angeles, a city she loves. As in New York there's a lot of craziness, diversity, and creativity, but amidst a landscape of palm trees and pools. And the city has infinitely better weather. She’d be tempted to move to LA if it weren’t for the whole having to drive thing (she doesn't have a license), and the fact that it’s much too far from Europe. So instead she opts for frequent trips out west.

Katja stayed with fabulous friends in Pasadena, and spent much of her visit catching up with them, lounging around the pool during the day, and around the outdoor fireplace at night. Of course much red wine was had, paired with delicious cheeses that she and her friend picked up at the Epicure Warehouse Sale (very much worth the drive to one of the city’s not so glamorous neighborhoods).

Wine and cheese are two of Katja's favorite food groups. Another one is frozen yogurt, so she embarked on a daily trip to Menchies to indulge and keep cool (not that she needs an excuse, but it was unusually humid for Southern California). The South Pasadena Menchies is located in the charming Mission District, an area that has lots of fun little coffee shops and stores. Two of her favorites are Hodgson’s Antiques, which she highly recommends for vintage jewelry, and The Red Shoes, where she's picked up cute dancewear over the years.

Of course Katja is much too hyper to spend the whole time just lazing around, eating and drinking. Plus, all of the indulgence needed to be counteracted with some calorie burning (leotards hide nothing, after all), so the visit also involved hikes around the Arroyo Seco. She loves the beautiful views, especially from the Colorado Street Bridge, and is a great fan of the local flora, especially the tiny cacti scattered everywhere.

Katja also stopped by the Huntington Botanical Gardens, a truly spectacular place that is home to twelve gardens spread over 120 acres, and definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.

Katja is a sophisticated, highly cultured jet-setter, so no trip would be complete without seeing some art and/or attending a performance. This trip involved a very special treat, a private tour of Charles and Henry Green’s Blacker House, an incredible example of American Arts and Crafts architecture. The architects made extensive use of exotic hardwoods when designing the 12,000 square foot home, which they filled with highly detailed furnishings and fixtures, all intricately linked to the space they occupy, each room thus functioning as a Gesamtkunstwerk.

Although previous owners stripped the house of much of its furniture, lighting, and fixtures, the present owners have restored the home, recreating the interiors down to the most minute details. The house also has a lush vegetable garden, and the owners kindly sent Katja and her friend home with a variety of heirloom tomatoes (people are so nice in California). They devoured the tomatoes that evening, along with some burrata, and of course wine (it just brings out the flavor in everything, and tastes pretty good on its own, too).

Just as no trip would be complete without some culture, it wouldn’t be complete without a good party. This time the party was An Evening with Star Chefs, a fundraiser held for Rosemary’s Children Services. The event took place at the Ambassador Gardens, a lovely outdoor space. It was a festive and beautiful evening, filled with lots of wine (what else is new) and tasty chef-made creations. Despite all of the gourmet treats the highlight for Katja was the ice cream sundae bar. What can she say, she has a sweet tooth. Plus, she's a creative type, and loves anything that's do-it-yourself, especially when it involves colorful candy (even a sophisticated girl can be tempted by such simple things).

Katja was very sad to leave LA, both because she was having such a lovely time, and because she currently doesn’t have a flight booked anywhere, a situation that obviously needs to be remedied as soon as possible. But in the meantime she’s happy to be back in New York, spending time with friends, enjoying all the city has to offer, and of course getting back to her ballet classes.

And then there is that thing called work…